Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 1: Government is set to place the proposal for relocation of Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara before the Council of Ministers for in-principle approval after the originally identified site was found unsuitable due to flooding.
Replying to a question by MLA Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, the Health and Medical Education Department today informed the Assembly that the proposed site at Maidan Chogal/Chogal was rendered unfit after the entire construction area was submerged by floodwaters.
The Government said a proposal to shift the medical college is currently under process and will be placed before the Council of Ministers for approval regarding the change of site.
It was stated that an alternate location has been proposed at Nutnussa village following a meeting chaired by the Minister for Health and Medical Education on March 19, 2025, which was attended by MLAs from Kupwara district.
Further, it was informed that the feasibility of the new site is being assessed to determine its suitability and stability for construction.
The department further stated that a committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, examined multiple locations for the project.
These included Chogal Maidan, currently under the Horticulture Department; Kulangam, partly under the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and district police; and another patch of land at Maidan Chogal.
The committee unanimously concluded that the existing site was not feasible for establishing a major institution and recommended relocation in line with norms laid down by the National Medical Commission.
It identified Kulangam as the most viable option, citing compliance with NMC standards, better connectivity with highways, and lower vulnerability to natural hazards such as floods and mudslides.
The Government said that presently, the matter of relocation is being placed before the Council of Ministers for agreement in principle.
While most required clearances and no-objection certificates from departments including R&B, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Forest, Pollution Control Board, and Soil Conservation have been obtained, clearance from the Geology and Mining Department is still pending.
The Geology and Mining Department has recommended a comprehensive geo-technical investigation and a site-specific seismic hazard assessment before any construction activity, given the region’s moderate to high seismic vulnerability (Zone V).
As per the reply, the Chief Engineer, R&B North Kashmir, has been tasked with conducting the geo-technical study through a competent institute.
Despite administrative progress, the Government acknowledged that earlier efforts, including a request for land transfer through a departmental communication dated February 25, 2025, did not materialise, further delaying the project.
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